Somali Shop Owner Stoned to Death in South Africa

Over two decades of civil war and severe uncertainty in the Horn of Africa's most eastern country, established a widespread, well-connected and extremely active Somali diaspora. Over the years, Somali refugees and immigrants have set up shop in different parts of the world - and they have been incredibly successful in doing so, particularly on their home continent.

Eastleigh, a suburb of Kenya's capital Nairobi, is a prime example for the success of Somali immigrants in the world of small-scale business. However, rising levels of xenophobia against Somalis in Kenya, fueled by frustration over soaring house prices and other economic factors, have emerged as a worrying trend over recent years, as fairplanet previously reported.

The stories of Somali business owners in South Africa have followed a comparable trajectory. Somali success was soon followed by xenophobic sentiments and incidents.

The barbaric stoning to death of a 25-year-old Somali shop owner this week, marks an unprecedented culmination of racially motivated violence. Abdi Nasir Mahmoud Good was attacked, stabbed, and stoned to death by an angry mob in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, after attempting to protect his shop from looters. The horrific murder was captured on video and shared online.

Somalia's president Sheik Mohammed has demanded answers from South Africa, urging President Jacob Zuma to "act immediately" to arrest the perpetrators, as Al Jazeera reports.

The graphic footage of the stoning continues to provoke a reflective outrage among the Somali diaspora.

South Africa has had problems with violent attacks against foreigners before. In 2008, over 50 African nationals were killed in violent acts across the country.